The Artemis II astronauts are now returning to Earth after their lunar flyby. This crew made history as the first astronauts in over 50 years to travel around the far side of the moon. During their mission, they also witnessed a solar eclipse.
The crew observed geological features of the lunar surface and took thousands of photos. They are expected to splash down off the coast of California on Friday. NASA has stated that a lunar surface landing will not happen until 2028 at the earliest.
Views from the Moon Flyby
This image shows an Earthset, captured through the Orion spacecraft window on April 6. The blue Earth, with its bright white clouds, is seen setting behind the moon's cratered surface. The dark part of Earth is experiencing night. In the foreground, Ohm crater shows terraced edges and a flat floor with central peaks. These peaks form when the lunar surface, briefly liquefied by an impact, splashes upward.
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On April 6, the Artemis II crew captured this image of the moon fully eclipsing the sun. From their vantage point, the moon appeared large enough to completely block the sun for about 54 minutes. This extended view is much longer than what is possible from Earth. The sun's corona forms a glowing halo around the dark moon, revealing details of the sun's outer atmosphere. Stars, usually too faint to see when imaging the moon, are also visible. This unique perspective offers a striking visual and a chance for astronauts to document the corona during humanity's return to deep space. The faint glow of the moon's near side is also visible, lit by light reflected from Earth.
This image from April 6 shows a part of the moon along the terminator, which is the line between lunar day and night. Low-angle sunlight creates long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This light highlights the moon's rugged features, showing craters, ridges, and basin structures in great detail. Craters like Jule, Birkhoff, and Stebbins, along with surrounding highlands, are clearly visible.
On April 6, a close-up from the Orion spacecraft captured a total solar eclipse. Only part of the moon is visible, but it completely blocks the sun. The sun's faint corona appears as a soft halo around the moon's edge. From this deep-space view, the moon was large enough to create nearly 54 minutes of totality, much longer than eclipses seen from Earth. The planet Venus is visible as a bright silver glint on the left. Mare Crisium, a dark gray feature, can be seen on the moon's horizon. Faint lunar features are visible due to light reflected from Earth.
This image, taken on April 6 from the Orion spacecraft, shows the sun beginning to emerge from behind the moon as the eclipse ends. A bright sliver of sunlight returns after nearly an hour of darkness. This creates a sharp contrast against the moon's silhouette and reveals lunar features not usually visible.
This April 6 image shows the moon. The near side, which we see from Earth, is visible on the right with its dark splotches. In the lower left is the Orientale basin, a large crater about 600 miles wide that spans both the near and far sides of the moon. Everything to the left of this crater is the far side.
On April 6, the moon is seen through the window of the Orion spacecraft. This photo was taken by the Artemis II crew at the end of Day 5 of their journey.
This image from April 6 shows the Orion spacecraft, Earth, and the moon. They are seen from a camera as the Artemis II crew and spacecraft travel further into space.
On April 6, Artemis II pilot and NASA astronaut Victor Glover looks out an Orion spacecraft window. He is looking back at Earth before the crew's lunar flyby.
On April 4, Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover gather for an interview. They are en route to the moon.
On April 4, astronaut Christina Koch prepares for lunar flyby activities. She is shown after completing aerobic exercise on a flywheel device.
On April 3, astronaut Reid Wiseman took this image of Earth from inside the Orion capsule.
This April 3 image shows the exterior of the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission. It is en route to the moon.
On April 3, Earth is seen from a window on the Orion spacecraft Integrity. This was taken during the Artemis II mission as it traveled to the moon.
